Window curtain support



June 18, 1935. G NL O. JENKlNs 2,005,546

WINDOW GURTAIN'SUPPORT Filed March 14, 1934 H ll 1l Il Il Il n 41 1^:wwf w un inoperative position.

Patented June 18, 1935 UNiTs STATES PATENT orrics 2,005,546 WINDOWCURTAIN SUPPORT George Mark Omega Jenkins, Neasden, London, England lApplication March 14, 1934, Serial No. 715,501 In Great Britain April 7,1933 1o claims.

yThis invention relates to window curtains or the like and has for itsobject the provision of improved means for effecting the movement of thecurtain to and from the operative and the 1n accordance with theinvention the curtain is supported by runner elements adapted to runalong a runner rail, and the movement of said curtain is eiiected bytilting said runner I rail.

In order that the invention may be the more clearly understood certainarrangements in accordance therewith will now be described, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawing wherein:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of said arrangements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged end view of the same.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are similar views to Figure 1 showing alternativemeans by which the necported by, and adapted to run freely along, a

runner rail 3 in the usual way. As shown these runner elements 2 are ofthe sliding type, but they may suitably be of the` kind provided withantifriction wheels so that they run along the runner rail 3 with a highdegree of freedom. This runner rail 3 is rigidly secured at a pointmid-way of its length, to a horizontal pin 4 which is mounted to the topmember 5 of the window frame so as to be rotatable about its axis. Thussaid runner rail 3 may be titlted in either direction about the axis ofthe pin II. Said runner rail 3 is yieldably maintained at a normalhorizontal position by means of an arm t extending upwards from said pin4 at right,` angles to the runner rail and tension springs 'I adapted toact in opposite horizontal directions on the upper end of said arm G,which tension spring balance one another only when the rail ishorizontal and the arm vertical.

One end, say the left hand end, of the upper edge of the curtain l isiixed to a point near the left hand end of the runner rail 3 and meansare provided whereby the rail may be tilted in either direction from thehorizontal. If the curtain l is at the operative position so that itsupper edge extends along the runner rail 3 and it is wished to move itto the inoperative position, the left hand end of the runner rail 3 istilted downwards and the runner elements 2 will all run under gravity tothat end,

bunching the curtain I at the left hand side. The runner rail 3 may thenif desired be returned to the horizontal position. Y

If it is now wished to move the curtain I once more to the operativeposition, the right hand end of the runner rail 3 is tilted downwards.The runner elements 2 will now all run as far as possible to the right,and, the left hand end of the upper edge of the curtain I being securednear the left hand end of the rail 3, this will cause the upper edge ofthe curtain to be extended along the rail with the curtain at theoperativek position.

A large number of devices may be provided for rocking the runner rail 3in the two directions. One such device is a light rod 8 (Figure l)attached to, and depending downwardly from the left hand end of saidrunner rail 3 and adapted to kbe actuated directly by hand or remotelythrough a'mechanioal device. Alternatively the runner rail may be tiltedthrough a Bowden wire transmission 9 (Fig.l 3) acting on the upwardlyextending arm 6 to which the oppositely acting springs 'l are secured.

Againthe tilting maybe effected by electromagnets I0 (Fig. 4)V adaptedto act in opposite directions on an'armature II carried by said upwardlyextending arm 6, a switch l2 being provided having an intermediate onposition and right and left on positions at which the right and lefthand electromagnets are respectively energized.

Again, the tilting may be effected by means of suction operated deviceI3 adapted to act in opposite directions on said upwardly extending arm,6, means being provided whereby one or other of said devices may beconnected through respective pipes I4 with a source of low pressure uid(not shown). This last arrangement is particularly useful in connectionwith window blinds for motor vehicles in which case the source of lowpressure iiuid may be the induction pipe of the engine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In means for supporting and eiecting adjustment of a curtain to andfrom the operative and the inoperative positions, a pivotally tiltablysupported runner rail, and curtain supporting runner elements carried byand capable of running along said runner rail, said runner elements withthe curtain supported thereby remaining stationary in the horizontalposition of the runner rail and adapted to carry the curtain by gravityalong the runner rail when the rail is tilted from the horizontal.

2. In means for supporting and effecting adjustment of a curtain to andfrom the operative and the inoperative positions, a pivotally tiltablysupported runner rail, curtain supporting runner elements carried by andadapted to remain stationary in the horizontal position of the Arunnerrail and capable of running along said runner rail when the rail istilted from the horizontal, and means to tilt said runner rail inopposite directions from and to the horizontal whereby said runnerelements with the curtain supported thereby when the rail is tilted.from the horizontal run by gravity along the runner rail to the,l

operative or inoperative positions.

3. In means for supporting and effecting adjustment of a curtain to andfrom the' operative and the inoperative positions, a pivotally tiltablysupported runner rail, and curtain supporting runner elements carried byand adapted to remain stationary on the runner rail in the-horizontalposition thereof and capable of running along said runner rail when therail is tilted from the horizontal, said curtain` at one of its uppercorners being attached to said runner rail and otherwise free to movewith the runner elements along the runner rail whereby tilting or saidrunner rail in opposite directions about its pivot the runner elementswith the curtain supported thereby run by gravity to the extended or thefolded positions of the curtain.

4. In means for supporting and'eiecting adjustment of a curtain to andfrom the operative and the inoperative positions, ai runner railpivotally tiltably supported intermediate its ends,

resilient means connected to the runner rail operative tomove the runnerrail to and yieldingly retain it in horizontal position, and curtainsupporting runner elements carried by and capable of running along saidrunner rail, and means to tilt said runner rail about its pivot inopposite directions against the action of said resilient means wherebysaid runner elements with the curtain supported thereby run by gravityto the operative or inoperative positions.

V5. Means according to claim 4, wherein said resilient means comprisesoppositely balanced springs. l

6. In means according to claim 4, a rigid arm xed to and extending at aright angle to said runner rail, and the resilient means to urge therunner rail to horizontal position comprises oppositely balanced springsco-acting with said 7. In means for supporting and effecting adjustmentof a curtain to and from the operative and the inoperative positions, arunner rail pivotally tiltably supported intermediate its ends andadapted to be tilted upon its pivotal support, and curtain supportingrunner elements carried by Aand adapted. to remain stationary on therunner rail inthe horizontal position thereof and capable of4 runningalong said runner rail when the rail is tilted from the horizontal, saidcurtain being attached at an upper corner to said runner .rail 'andotherwise free to move with the runner elements, whereby when the runnerrail is tilted from the horizontal the runner elements with the curtainsupported thereby run by gravity along therunner rail to the extended orfolded positions of rthe curtain.

,8. In apparatus according to claim '7, an arm rigid with and extendingata right angle to said runner rail near the pivot thereof, means toyieldingly urge the arm to position the runner rail to extend in ahorizontal plane, and means operative to move said arm against saidyielding means and tilt said runner element from the horizontal. i

g. In apparatus according to claim '7, an arm rigid with and extendingat a right angle to said runner rail near the pivot thereof, means toyieldingly urge the arm to position the runner rail in a horizontalplane, and electro-magnets disposed at opposite sides of said armoperative to move the arm against said yielding means and tilt therunner rail from the horizontal.

l0.' In apparatus according to claim '7, an arm rigid with and extendingat a right angle to said runner rail near` the pivot thereof, andpneumatically operated pistons disposed at and connected to oppositesides of said arm operative to move the arm against said yielding meansand tilt the runner rail from the horizontal.

vGEORGE MARK OMEGA JENKINS.

